The 7th Tackle - with Josh Massoud and Jim Wilson

7News Sports Presenter Jim Wilson and Chief Rugby League Reporter Josh Massoud present a special edition of the 7th Tackle, with the end of season awards.

TACKLE ONE: BEST FEEL-GOOD STORY

JOSH: UNITE FOR KURT

On a freezing morning in late August, a group of former players and local identities met in Sydney's far south with wheelbarrow and a dozen plastic buckets.

Over the next ten hours they walked more than 30 kilometres; badgering anyone in their path to donate money for stricken young park footballer Kurt Drysdale. The Sharks junior had been paralysed since breaking his neck in June, playing for Cabramatta. The catastrophe was similar - perhaps worse - than the one that ended Alex McKinnon's career just over a year earlier.

However, it took some time for the rugby league community to rise and react for Kurt, who was a relative unknown. Probably too long. Thanks to efforts of ex-Sharks and Rabbitohs lock Alan Wilson a fundraising walk was organised on the same day Cronulla played Melbourne at Remondis Stadium, the end-point of their extraordinary walk.

Along the way some of the greats of rugby league joined the crusade through shopping centres, train stations and pubs. Andrew Johns, Andrew Ettingshausen, Robbie Kerans, Paul Sironen, Ben Ross, Nathan Brown all helped raise more than $50,000 for Kurt's ongoing treatment, with his emotional mum and dad on hand at the stadium to greet them when the final walkers arrived just 20 minutes before kick-off.

JIM: JOHNATHAN THURSTON’S HEADGEAR

He's a champion and an immortal in waiting and JT was all class on and off the field this year.

Every game, he gave away his headgear and the moment with the young Storm fan last weekend was priceless.

That young kid will never forget the experience and is now chairman of the Johnathan Thurston fan club.

TACKLE TWO: BEST CONTROVERSY

JOSH: WILLIS MEEHAN

Roosters youngster Willis Meehan might not have got as many headlines for being thrown in the clink as Rabbitohs pair John Sutton and Luke Burgess. But he went a step further, and in doing so, earns my vote.

While Sutton and Burgess were bailed out by their club, and given all-paid flights from Arizona to Sydney to overcome their hangovers, Meehan soldiered on in true rugby league style. Locked-up for alleged assault and theft after a boozy Saturday night in April, he caught a taxi direct from the cop shop to Allianz Stadium for a Holden Cup game against the Sharks.

Despite his rough night, Meehan didn't miss a beat during the warm-up and was on his side's best players in a 68-6 demolition.

Sadly, his effort counted for little when the Roosters discovered what had occurred the previous night. Meehan was stood down, and, after subsequent attempts to rehabilitate him failed, sacked altogether a few months later.

JIM: JUDICIAL FARCE

Short and sweet anything on a Monday at match review and inconsistent and shambolic judicial process.

No wonder fans are disenchanted!

TACKLE THREE: BEST FEUD

JOSH: TRENT BARRETT & IVAN CLEARY

Penrith turned a damn good hose on Trent Barrett's sudden departure in May. Barrett was marched months before his deal to coach Manly was announced - early confirmation of what turned out to be the worst-kept secret in the NRL.

Prior to the split, he'd been attracting rave reviews as the Panthers attack coach under Ivan Cleary. But when Cleary caught wind of how far advanced Barrett's talks were with the Sea Eagles, he was banished for the rest of the year.

Understandably, Cleary had moved to protect his team's IP and also players, many of whom enjoy a close relationship with Barrett.

That much has already been confirmed with Panther pair Api Koroisau and Lewis Brown agreeing to join Barrett on the Northern Beaches next year.

JIM: GEOFF TOOVEY AND SCOTT PENN

Favourite son and a bloke who deserved much more respect & had very few people in the trench with him at Brookvale.

He was dead man walking all season and the owner and faceless men at Brooky had him firmly in the firing line.

Despite a pretty good track record, Toovey was shafted and I don't blame him for being frustrated at those running the club.

TACKLE FOUR: BEST FIB

JOSH: MICHAEL GORDON

Nothing to see here, move along. That was the advice of Sharks CEO Lyall Gorman, when I rang to check out tips that Michael Gordon had been denied a mid-season release to Parramatta. The previous weekend Gordon had withdrawn from a game just before kick-off, with the club claiming injury. But that was certainly not the case.

Gordon pulled out because he was furious over a miscommunication between coach Shane Flanagan and Gorman, which resulted in his Eels deal falling through. Gordon claimed he had Flanagan's permission to go, after being told he would not be re-signed.

But Gorman had other ideas, enforcing a clack and white policy that no player should be granted a mid-season release.

The same policy caused similar headaches for team mates Sam Tagataese and Blake Ayshford. But instead of putting their hands up and admitting to a difference of opinion, Gorman and Flanagan embarked on a contorted routine before the microphones, in a painful bid to convince everyone they were on the same page.

JIM: ROBBIE FARAH - STATE OF ORIGIN

The carry on and circus around Robbie Farah for Origin 3 was laughable.

The Blues strung us out all week up until match day but he was never going to play.

Mick Ennis was called in and the charade around Farah and will he or won't he play was a sideshow the team could have done without going into the decider.

TACKLE FIVE: BEST INTERVIEW

JOSH: ROBBIE FARAH

They reckon the most surefire sign of insanity is to do the same thing over and over again, for the same result. Thankfully enough, Tigers skipper Robbie Farah proved himself sound of mind. In complete contrast to his meltdown over Gorden Tallis last season, Farah handled the media with aplomb less than 24 hours after being given his marching orders from the club.

A year early, Farah lost support of fans and public after going to ground during his spat with Tallis. But this time around he capitalised on that lesson, fronting up for the most refreshingly honest - and entertaining - press conference of 2015.

During the long exchange with journalists, Farah dropped a rare gem: that he'd been threatened with the axe to NSW Cup should he not leave. His adversary on this occasion, coach Jason Taylor, did not fare so well. Taylor refused to budge from a pre-rehearsed company line, and became agitated at every reasonable attempt to dig for information on one of the year's biggest scandals.

Farah, in the meantime, kept front up with a somewhat wry grin. And it must've grown wider every time Taylor faced the cameras, with the coach and his advisers unable to grasp how important transparency - and a touch of humanity - is to winning the vote of public confidence.

JIM: JT AT THE DALLY M

By a long way Johnathan Thurston acceptance speech at the Dally Ms.

From the heart and thanked all the right people. It oozed respect and was so dignified.

A speech that summed up the best role model in the game.

TACKLE SIX: BEST FASHION SENSE

JOSH: MOSES MBYE

The Henson Park Hotel is not known for attracting too many patrons with long blonde locks, showing off their killer pins in sky-high stilettos. So when someone fitting that description tottered toward the front entrance during Bulldogs' Mad Monday celebrations a fortnight ago, we had to do a double take.

Low and behold it was halfback Moses Mbye, dressed as a character from the popular move, 'White Chicks'. The flick's highly intellectual pilot surrounds a group of young black men who dress-up as . . . you guessed it . . . their genetic opposite: white girls. On this day, Mbye made the most of his Gambian heritage.

JIM: IT’S GOT TO BE JOSH!

Forget the players, the retro clobber Josh Massoud has brought to your lounge rooms must be at the top of the list.

The body hugging shirts and suits were a highlight this season.

Calibre need to put him on a retainer!

It was shades of Johnny Depp on the set of Blow!

TACKLE SEVEN: BEST 80 MINUTES

JOSH: ROOSTERS 38 BULLDOGS 28, Round 21

I won't earn any favours from the fun police at League Central, here. Nothing, and I mean NOTHING, came close to capturing the instant attention of sports fans than Kane Evans' shoulder charge on Sam Kasiano. Bam! Take that!

All 135 kilograms of you! Kasiano's smile and threat to get even brought back memories of the game's golden era; a time when big men were encouraged to go toe-to-toe like a pair of wilderbeest during mating season. That's the rugby league I grew up to love, and sadly they've taken it away.

Thanks to Kane and Sam, it somehow made a fleeting and unexpected return in this increasingly sterile era. Even ESPN in America liked it - they rang the Roosters for vision a few days later.

And surely that's got to be better than usual stuff that puts rugby league on the map in America; like players inserting their digits into forbidden orifices, or, perhaps even worse, players spurting urine into forbidden orifices. But no. It must be banished at all costs – never to return.

These two teams did meet again in the finals, but the game didn’t match the hype generated from the first encounter. It was pure entertainment from wire-to-wire, as the Bulldogs recovered from a 22-0 deficit to grab the lead midway through the second half. But what else than a refereeing blunder could have turned the game again.

The match officials failed to see Roosters winger Brendan Elliott put a foot in touch – and the oversight proved costly as the hosts raced in three late tries to steal a thriller.

JIM: ORIGIN DECIDER

Come on Josh, think beyond Sydney and head north of the Tweed.

Game 3 of Origin at the cauldron was the best and most complete team performance of the year.

The Maroons machine clicked big time and even the most fanatical Blues fans were in awe of a brilliant 80 mins.

That's why we love rugby league and it was a pleasure to watch!

Thanks for your support this season, the 7th Tackle will return in 2016.

To my colleague in crime and great mate Josh Massoud thank you for your contributions to this column and to 7 News Sydney.

Remember it's only an opinion and life would be boring if we all agreed!

Enjoy the Grand Final and good luck to the Broncos and Cowboys.